Request a Specific Harris County Court Appointed Attorney
Here is the Real Deal regarding the process and How to Request a Specific Harris County Court Appointed Attorney:
The above statement of fact is scary therefore it is reasonable that an Accused should should have a minimal amount of CHOICE in their appointed attorney.
In the early 2020’s numerous lawsuits complaining about the quality of indigent legal representation in Harris County were filed leading to the current unique and bifurcated systems of providing indigent legal representation in Harris County.
Harris County has a Public Defender’s Office (Harris County Public Defender’s Office) that has quite extensive areas of expertise some being the Felony Section; Misdemeanor Section; Juvenile Section; Mental Health Section; Appellate Section and a Wrongful Conviction Section.
The Harris County Public Defender’s Office handles approximately 50% of all the Indigent Cases in the county.
Harris County Felonies and Juvenile matters are also distributed and managed by a “rotating wheel” that is utilized by the Harris County District Court Judges.
The Harris County Courts and Harris County have transferred the operation and management of the appointment of Private Attorneys for Misdemeanors to the Harris County Office of Managed Assigned Counsel (HCOMAC) - this being an office within the Harris County Government.
HCOMAC manages and appoints private attorneys on a wheel like selection system which complies with the local Indigent Defense Plan.
HCOMAC also assists in appointed counsel’s request for investigator services and/or requests for expert witness services.
In sum, depending on conflict, availability, type of charge and volume the Harris County Courts will typically assign counsel to or from the Harris County Public Defenders Office or from a “rotating wheel” for felonies and juvenile maters. Likewise, for misdemeanors private counsel will typically be assigned to or from the HCOMAC.
But remember, the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure 26.04 allows a Judge to bypass the next attorney on that county’s appointment “list” for “good cause” thus it is reasonable to assume that especially early on an Indigent Defendant has the right to “request” a particular Attorney that is already on the “rotating wheel” be it the Felony Wheel or the HCOMAC. This “request” is subject to the Judges discretion based on “good cause” being whatever that Judge considers “good cause”.
Suggestion: Reach out to some of the court appointed attorneys that are part of the “Felony Wheel” or the HCOMAC (aka…shop) then simply advise the Court that you did your due diligence and are asking for a specific attorney of your choosing under “good cause”. At worst the Court denies and at best the Court grants the request.
Again, at worst the Court simply says no and continues to utilizes one of the current systems.
Here is the list of Harris County Felony Wheel and HCOMAC attorneys accepting court appointments in Harris County, TX - Coming Soon.